Strip material feeding device

ABSTRACT

A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, particularly, a continuous length of labels which are to be cut away from the strip material and folded and packed into containers includes, a reel having a continuous winding of the strip material which is freely rotatably mounted. The strip material is guided through a guide element and over a table where it is advanced along a feed path by an oscillatable pusher finger which cyclically engages against the material and moves it along the feed path. The construction includes holding means located between the pusher and the reel supply for holding the label periodically in order to permit looping means to engage the label strip material, pull a length of it off the reel and form it into a loop between the holding means and the reel supply. The pulled off loop is subsequently fed by the pusher.

United States Patent 1191 Forthmann, Jr. et al.

Dec. 4, 1973 STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING DEVICE Primary Examiner-Allen N.Knowles Attorney-John J. McGlew et al.

[75] Inventors: Frederick E. Forthmann, Jr.,

Washington Twp., Bergen County; girl-lJ Beezer, Saddle Brook, both [57]ABSTRACT [73] Assignee, Fmthmann Label Services device for facilitatingthe feed of strip material, par- Company, westwood NJ t1cularly, acontinuous length of labels wh1ch are to be cut away from the stripmatenal and folded and Filed: y 1972 packed into containers includes, areel having a con- [21] Appl 252,315 tinuous winding of the stripmaterial which is freely rotatably mounted. The strip matenal 1s guldedthrough a guide element and over a table where it is [52] US. Cl226/114, 226/115, 226/118 advanc d along a feed path by an oscillatablepusher [51] Int. Cl B65]! 17/42 fin r whi h cy lically engages againstthe material of Search I3, I I4, I I5, and moves it along the feed pathThe construction in- 112 eludes holding means located between the pusherand v the reel supply for holding the label periodically in RefflencesCited order to permit looping means to engage the label UNITED STATESPATENTS strip material, pull a length of it off the reel and form1,859,962 5/1932 Ferenci 226/114 x it a loop between hfflding means andthe reel FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS supply. The pulled off loop issubsequently fed by the pus er. 227,279 5/1943 Switzerland 226/114 9Claims, 4 Drawing Figures '4 5! w 1 o Z6 10! A 38 2a l g 1; 1 1 1 1 J 186:2 76 8 l-4 20 /i m PATENTED UEC 41975 SHEET 10F 2 PATENTED DEC 4 73sum 2 OF 2 STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING DEVICE REFERENCE TO A PRIOR PATENTThis invention is an improvement over the device disclosed and describedin US. Pat. No. 3,106,809 in the name of FF. Forthmann, Jr., one of theinventors of the present case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates in general to strip material feeding devices and, in particular,to a new and useful device for facilitating the feed-off of a continuouslength of strip material such as interconnected labels from a reelsupply thereof for further movement into association with means forcutting the labels from the strip material, folding the individuallabels and packing the folded labels.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior to the present invention, a devicefor feeding a continuous strip of interconnected labels from a rotatablereel supply was known as disclosed by US. Pat. No. 3,106,809. Such adevice included a movable engagement finger which was oscillatedbackwardly and forwardly and which periodically engaged the label stripmaterial which was fed over a guide table and advanced a selected lengththereof along the guide table in order to move it into association withcutting means for cutting away individual labels from the stripmaterial. The device also included means for transferring the cut labelsinto association with a pressing mechanism and then into associationwith a packing mechanism for packing the individual cut and foldedlabels into containers. With devices of this nature, it is particularlyimportant to have the mechanism operate at the highest possible speed inorder that the largest possible number of labels may be cut away, foldedand packed. One of the drawbacks in the attainment of a much higherspeed of operation is the difficulty in regulating the feed of the stripmaterial so that it will be fed evenly and rapidly off by the advancingmechanism.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention,there is provided a new and useful device for periodically engaging thelabel behind the mechanism for advancing the label in order to pull aselected length of the strip material off the reel supply and to form itinto a loop which may be subsequently easily fed by the feedingmechanism.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improveddevice for controlling the feedout of a predetermined length of stripmaterial from a reel supply in advance of a feeding mechanism forfeeding the strip material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for feeding acontinuouslength of strip material, such as interconnected labels, intoassociation with means for cutting and subsequently folding and packingthe labels, which includes a movable pusher member which is engageablewith the label in order to feed it along a path into association withthe cutting means and including holding means disposed between thepusher and a reel supply of the labels which is periodically operable toengage the strip material while looping means are also engageable withthe strip material between the holding means and the reel supply inorder to pull off a loop of the material from the reel which issubsequently fed by the pusher means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device forfacilitating the feed of strip material which is simple in design,rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The'various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a device for feeding a strip oflabel material into association with knife means for cutting the labelmaterial into individual labels and for subsequently folding andstacking the labels and which includes a device for facilitating thefeed thereof constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view partly in section of theoperating mechanism for feeding the strip material;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing an advanced stage ofoperation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to thedrawings, in particular, the invention embodied therein, comprises adevicefor cutting individual labels from a continuous strip thereof,folding the labels and subsequently packing them into containers whichincludes a rotatable reel supply 10 for a continuous strip of labels 12and which is arranged adjacent feed means, generally designated 14. Thefeed means 14 includes a pusher assembly, generally designated 16, whichengages the lebal strip material and moves it along a feed pathoverlying a table 18. The

reel supply 10 includes a continuous winding of interconnected labelsand it includes a reel shaft 20 which is rotatably mounted on suitablebearing means 22.

In accordance with the invention, the continuous strip of labels 12 isfed through a bore 24 of a fixed guide 26 and looped around a guideroller 28 of an adjustably positioned guide arm 30. The strip materialis passed into association with holding means, generally designated 32,which is effective to periodically engage and hold the strip material 12behind the feed means 16 in order to permit strip material loop-formingmeans, generally designated 34, to engage the strip material l2 and movethrough its feed path in order to pull off a length of the stripmaterial from'the reel supply 10 and to form it into a loop 12L at alocation between the fixed guide 26 and the holding means 32.

Drive means 35 are provided for driving the holding means and theloop-forming means such that the strip material is periodically engagedby the holding means 32 after the feed means 16 has fed a selectedlength thereof into association with a cutter, generally designated 36,which forms the length fed into an individual label 38. In addition, thedrive means 35 is also effective to periodically move the loop-formingmeans 34 to effect the pull-out of a predetermined length of the stripmaterial when the feed means moves back into a position at which it willengage the strip material for subsequent feeding of the strip material.

In the embodiment shown, the drive means 35 includes a rotatable shaft42 which carries a cam 44. The shaft 42 is also connected throughsuitable gearing 44 and 46 to operate a shaft 48 of a pusher 50comprising the feed mechanism, generally designated 16. The pusher .16includes a block member 52 which is periodically oscillated or rockedabout a pivot 54 and which carries a pusher finger 56 which advances thelabel material 12 in the direction of the arrow 58. The pusher finger 56moves through the parallelogram motion indicated at 60. The finger 56periodically lifts upwardly and moves backwardly and then movesdownwardly into engagement with the strip material and advances itforwardly.

The drive means 35 which schematically indicates the drive connection44, 46, between the cam shaft 42 and the drive for the feed mechanism16, may of course by any type connecting mechanism for effecting thedesired timed movement of the feeding mechanism 16, the holdingmechanism 32 and the looping mechanism 34 to carry out a looping andthen subsequent feeding of the strip material 12. In the arrangementshown, a lever follower 62 is pivotally mounted on a pedestal 64 and itincludes a first arm portion 62a having a follower 66 which is engagedwith the cam 44 and is moved thereby to cause a second arm portion 62bto oscillate upwardly and downwardly and move a connecting link 68 and across-member 70. The cross-member 70 is guided for vertical upward anddownward movement and it is biased in a downward direction by a tensionspring 72. The cross-member 70 is connected to a rod 74 which is guidedin a fixed block member 76 and which carries a cross-member 78 at itstop end which extends over the label strip material 12. The spring 72urges the rod member 76 and the cross-member 70 along with the top crossmember 78 in a downward direction and it moves downwardly when the cam44 is rotated to permit its downward movement to cause the topcross-member 78 to engage the strip material 12 and to pull it so that alength thereof feeds off the reel supply and forms a loop 12L. A guidearm 80 is pivoted on the block and it may be set in an adjusted angularposition by a set screw 82 in order to selectively orient a guide pulley84 thereof for engagement with the strip material 12.

The loop-forming mechanism 34 operates in conjunction with the holdingmeans 32 which includes a clamping member 84 which clamps the label overa fixed block 86 when the cross-member 84 is urged downwardly by acompression spring 88 which is coiled around an extension of a rodmember 90 which reciprocates in the block 86 and which includes awidened end portion 90a against which the compression spring 88 isengaged. The top holding member 84 is lifted upwardly to release thestrip material when the crossmember 70 of the looping mechanism 34 ismoved upwardly sufficiently to engage the widened end portion 90a of therod 90 and to move it upwardly against the spring force of the spring88.

It has been found that particularly when the feed mechanism 16 comprisesa pusher of a type similar to the pusher finger 56 that the loop-formingmeans 34 facilitates the fast and accurate feedout of the strip materialso that the individual labels which are defined on the strip materialmay be oriented selectively into association with the cutter means 36 inorder to form the labels 38 precisely and rapidly. The finished labels38 are moved by advancing means in a separate feed direction 102 whichextends at an angle to the first feed direction in order to performsuccessive operations on the label which has been cut away from thestrip material to fold each end thereof and to subsequently move it intoassociation with a packing mechanism where the labels are packed intocontainers.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material from a reelhaving a continuous windingof the strip material, comprising a rotatablereel having a continuous length of strip material wound thereon, meansmounting said reel for free rotation, guide means for guiding the stripmaterial along a feed path, feed means overlying said guide means andengageable with the strip material periodically to advance it along saidfeed path by a predetermined amount, intermittently operable stripmaterial holding means engageable with said strip material between saidfeed means and said reel, strip material loop-forming means engageablewith said strip material and movable through the feed path thereofbetween said holding means and said reel to pull off a length of thestrip material from said reel and form it into a loop, and drive meansconnected to said feed means, said holding means and said loop-formingmeans to cyclically hold said strip material as said loopforrning meanspulls a length of strip material from said reel and forms it into aloop, to subsequently release the strip material and to move said feedmeans to advance at least a portion of the strip material which has beenformed into a loop.

2. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 1, wherein said feed means comprises a pusher, means mounting saidpusher to move it through a path to engage the strip material andadvance it forwardly along said feed path and to return out ofengagement with said strip material for subsequent positioning back intoengagement with the strip material for a subsequent feeding movement.

3. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 1, wherein said loop-forming means comprises a member having aportion overlying said strip material, means mounting said member forvertical up and downward reciprocation, said drive means comprising arotatable cam, and a lever arm follower engaged with said cam and havingan arm portion connected to said member for moving said member upwardlyand downwardly.

4. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 3,-wherein said loop-forming means includes a fixed supporting armhaving a guide thereon engaged with said strip material and guiding saidstrip material between said holding means and said reel supply.

5. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 1, wherein said loop-forming means includes a fixed block, amember slidably mounted on said block for vertical up and downwardmovement, spring means biasing said member downwardly, said memberhaving a portion overlying said strip material being engageable oversaid strip material to pull it downwardly when said member is moveddownwardly, and cam means connected to said member for moving itupwardly and downwardly I 6. A device for facilitating the feed of stripmaterial, according to claim 5, wherein said holding means includes arod member having a portion overlying said strip material and a fixedmember on which said rod member is movable upwardly and downwardly,spring means biasing said rod member downwardly to engage the upperportion thereof on said strip material and hold it against said fixedmember, said cam means being effective to move said holding memberupwardly against said biasing means.

7. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 1, including a fixed member adjacent said reel'supply having anopening therethrough through which said strip material is passed, saidholding means being at a spaced location from said fixed guide, saidloop-forming means being directly adjacent said holding means andincluding a member movable downwardly to the path of movement of saidstrip material to draw it through the opening of said fixed guide memberand to form it into a loop.

8. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 7, including a guide arm, means mounting said guide arm foradjustable positioning adjacent said loop-forming means in a position toengage the strip material behind said loop-forming member and betweensaid loop-forming member and said stationary guide.

9. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 1, wherein said feed means comprises a pusher for pushing thematerial along said guide means, said guide means comprising a tableover which said material is fed, said holding means being lo catedadjacent said table and having a member overlying the strip materialwhich is movable relative to a fixed member to clamp the strip materialtherebetween, said loop-forming member including a loop member having across-part overlying the strip material and a vertical part which ismovable upwardly and downwardly, spring means biasing said holdingmember downwardly and cam means for reciprocating said loop-formingmember and for releasing said holding member by moving said holdingmember upwardly against said biasing means.

1. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material from a reelhaving a continuous winding of the strip material, comprising arotatable reel having a continuous length of strip material woundthereon, means mounting said reel for free rotation, guide means forguiding the strip material along a feed path, feed means overlying saidguide means and engageable with the strip material periodically toadvance it along said feed path by a predetermined amount,intermittently operable strip material holding means engageable withsaid strip material between said feed means and said reel, stripmaterial loopforming means engageable with said strip material andmovable through the feed path thereof between said holding means andsaid reel to pull off a length of the strip material from said reel andform it into a loop, and drive means connected to said feed means, saidholding means and said loop-forming means to cyclically hold said stripmaterial as said loop-forming means pulls a length of strip materialfrom said reel and forms it into a loop, to subsequently release thestrip material and to move said feed means to advance at least a portionof the strip material which has been formed into a loop.
 2. A device forfacilitating the feed of strip material, according to claim 1, whereinsaid feed means comprises a pusher, means mounting said pusher to moveit through a path to engage the strip material and advance it forwardlyalong said feed path and to return out of engagement with said stripmaterial for subsequent positioning back into engagement with the stripmaterial for a subsequent feeding movement.
 3. A device for facilitatingthe feed of strip material, according to claim 1, wherein saidloop-forming means comprises a member having a portion overlying saidstrip material, means mounting said member for vertical up and downwardreciprocation, said drive means comprising a rotatable cam, and a leverarm follower engaged with said cam and having an arm portion connectedto said member for moving said member upwardly and downwardly.
 4. Adevice for facilitating the feed of strip material, according to claim3, wherein said loop-forming means includes a fixed supporting armhaving a guide thereon engaged with said strip material and guiding saidstrip material between said holding means and said reel supply.
 5. Adevice for facilitating the feed of strip material, according to claim1, wherein said loop-forming means includes a fixed block, a memberslidably mounted on said block for vertical up and downward movement,spring means biasing said member downwardly, said member having aportion overlying said strip material being engageable over said stripmaterial to pull it downwardly when said member is moved downwardly, andcam means connected to said member for moving it upwardly and downwardly6. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material, according toclaim 5, wherein said holding means includes a rod member having aportion overlying said strip material and a fixed member on which saidrod member is movable upwardly and downwardly, spring means biasing saidrod member downwardly to engage the upper portion thereof on said stripmaterial and hold it against said fixed member, said cam means beingeffective to move said holding member upwardly against said biasingmeans.
 7. A device for facilitating the feed of strip material,according to claim 1, including a fixed member adjacent said reel supplyhaving an opening therethrough through which said strip material ispassed, said holding means being at a spaced location from said fixedguide, said loop-forming means being directly adjacent said holdingmeans and including a member movable downwardly to the path of movementof said strip material to draw it through the opening of said fixedguide member anD to form it into a loop.
 8. A device for facilitatingthe feed of strip material, according to claim 7, including a guide arm,means mounting said guide arm for adjustable positioning adjacent saidloop-forming means in a position to engage the strip material behindsaid loop-forming member and between said loop-forming member and saidstationary guide.
 9. A device for facilitating the feed of stripmaterial, according to claim 1, wherein said feed means comprises apusher for pushing the material along said guide means, said guide meanscomprising a table over which said material is fed, said holding meansbeing located adjacent said table and having a member overlying thestrip material which is movable relative to a fixed member to clamp thestrip material therebetween, said loop-forming member including a loopmember having a cross-part overlying the strip material and a verticalpart which is movable upwardly and downwardly, spring means biasing saidholding member downwardly and cam means for reciprocating saidloop-forming member and for releasing said holding member by moving saidholding member upwardly against said biasing means.